Osun polls: Nigeria is the victor

For much star-gazing and crystalling have been cast regarding the orchestrated dismemberment of our dear nation come 2015. And if we reflect with discernment the horrendous happenings in Nigeria; the mortal rampaging of Boko Haram which has attained an international emergency status, and other signifiers of disquieting proportions, the heating up of the political landscape […]

For much star-gazing and crystalling have been cast regarding the orchestrated dismemberment of our dear nation come 2015. And if we reflect with discernment the horrendous happenings in Nigeria; the mortal rampaging of Boko Haram which has attained an international emergency status, and other signifiers of disquieting proportions, the heating up of the political landscape by power-seekers come 2015, we should find no difficulty in coming to terms with the danger that the Osun elections of last Saturday portends for the future of our democracy.
This precisely why, to my mind, Aregbesola is, and is not, the victor of Osun’ successful polls; APC is, and is not, the claimer of the triumph of last Saturday in Osun; Omisore and the PDP are, and are  not, the vanquished of the Osunelections. Indeed, I repeat, Nigeria is the victor of the governorship election- the hurricane the ended in a soothing breeze; the building bang that ended in a whimper- the peaceful and violence-free polls of last Saturday.
This, to my mind, if we were to address our minds, with a certain objectivity the transcends myopic partisanship and a mere search for political and its lustful trappings, all stakeholders in the politics of Osun, one of the poorest states in this country, and the destiny of Nigeria at large, must have agreat sigh of relief that the elections in Osun has come and gone and must be claimed as a manifestation of is well that has ended well. This must be understood beyond the simplicity that may inhere my positive viewpoint implied here or taken as escaping the reality of the fear of manipulation, rigging rumour and force intimidation as well as the shenanigans orchestrated by the leading contesting parties in the election. It is simply that the reverse is too lethal to contemplate. The victor is Nigeria.
It is therefore germane and apt to  begin to analyze the post-election responses and reactions of those directly involved in the fortunes of Osun and the nation’s politics. How does the outcome of the election in which Gov. Aregbosola and his party polled nearly 400,000 votes as against Omisore and the PDP carried merely 300,000 electors away weigh with us politicians and citizens in a fledgling democracy at the dangling edge of the precipice?
I note that the reactions and responses at the opposite ends of the political divide are incongruous and do not forebode good.
Beyond sentiments, those who ensure credible and fair polls must be given a pat at the back. I believe that first and foremost, no matter our inner and covert reservation of intendment, President Goodluck Jonathan must be congratulated on the successful outcome of the election, especially that his party lost the election to a formidable opponent and hell was not let loose. Come to think of it. The massive month mobilization of security forces to Osun was widely regarded as an attempt to intimidate and prepare for forcible PDP occupation through militarization with the real endorsement of the President. The truism of that notion is a matter of. Conjecture now with the outcome of the polls. He has run away with some credibility and this is a plus for him and one which he should grab and against 2015.  He can make a milage out of this and repeat the feat in the elections ahead in which he is most likely a candidate.
Second is INEC, which I have always contended as being unfairly maligned and impugned against the fact. AttahiruJega, without any invitation to complacency and cavalier on his partdeserve a resounding applause from all of us and an apology from those who made bold to accuse him and his commission as being accomplices and bed-fellows in the Osun elections, including earlier ones in Anambra and Ekiti. A little charity is in place even in the middle of political power jostling. No matter what, politicians should always give room for objectivity even when things do not range in their favour. The truth is that INEC has improved progressively sin the 2011 elections and have sealed the progress with this election. They need our encouragement, not vilification to perfect their act come 2015, beyond which date this nation must gallop!
Now to responses. No wonder therefore that President Goodluck and leading members of the PDP have done the needy and expedient to congratulate very profusely Governor RaufAregbesola for the triumph of gaining the mandate of the people of Osun to drive the state for another term and to admonish him to be graceful and magnanimous in victory. As I said,let’s not take this gesture and the outcome for granted as a political inevitable. Driven with greater power obsession and political obduracy to do or die, we may be singing a different song to the eternal woe of our country.
Similarly, Senator IyiolaOmisore. Yes, he has been cautious in his reaction but we must commend him for playing a gentleman’s game and not taken a precipitous and irrational step as we have seen many in his situation to have done such as rejecting the election outright and rushing the tribunals. He should ahead and congratulate his victorious adversary in the spirit of his expression of the ultimate search for peace and progress in the State.
The biggest challenge of all rests with the winning governor OgbeniAregbesola. This is the time to test his political maturity and statesmanhood. I congratulate him as a friend and admirer and wish him even a more successful tenure. I know he has the capacity. The will and vision to take the State to loftier pinacle. But he must bring to bear at this crucial moment large-heartedness, humaneness and gracefulness in a moment of election victory. The turbulence and turmoil of electioneering have come and gone. He is not the Governor of 400,000 citizens who voted him back to power. He is the Governor also of the odd 300, 000 citizens who have cause to vote against him. He must strive on, from this moment to win the hearts and minds of those who seized the freedom of political choice to challenge him at the polls. And this includes the government at the centre who, for good or for ill made it possible for the election to take place at all. As I averred, things could have been worse and there may have been neither State nor country to govern. I recommend to him the high cultural sensibility of his friend and counterpart, KayodeFayemi , who displayed enviable finesse. Nigeria, in the is the victor at this moment